Time Has Come Today
by Mariss95
Summary: Set during "Journey". Finchel fluff, starting with the amazing scene before their regionals performance
1. Now or Never

A/N: I don't own Glee, or the characters! (tough i wish i did!) This is just for fun :)

First Glee fanfic! Don't know if it's any good, but had to write it! Just a scene that's been on my mind since i watched the amazing SF! Could be more chapters, depending on the reviews!

xoxo

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** 1. Now or Never  
**

"_I love you_"

As soon as those three words left his lips, she gasped in shock. _He_ loved _her_. **Finn** loved **her**.

He looked down at her with a glow in his eyes. He was excited, overwhelmed, and utterly proud that he had been man enough to finally come clean about his feelings towards Rachel.

Those nine months had been a rollercoaster. He had changed so much, from being a silly jog guy that dated the cute cheerio, to a grown-up man that knew what love truly was.

_LOVE_. Four letters he had said many times, but never quite understood… until now. He knew they had never meant as much as they did now, when they were addressed to the one and only girl that drove him insane. The one that made him feel dizzy with every touch or stare. The one that always reminded him of his talent and smart. THE one.

Her face was still unreadable. She was speechless for the first time in her life. _"What should I answer? Is it for real or just nerves speaking?_". She couldn't make up her mind on what was happening. She had let her hopes up for Finn too many times before to accept his declaration of love so easily… but it felt so right! He loved her!

He took a step forward and grabbed one of her tiny fists in his big hand and gave her a tender squeeze. She looked up to his face and saw him flashing one of his cute-sexy smirks. That's all she needed.

She leaned forward and closed the tiny space that separated them and captured his lips with her own. He was stiff first, surprised by her reaction, but after a second he snaked one of his arms around her waist and took her face in his other hand. She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He gave in and brought her to his chest, lifting her to have more control. Her tongue lightly touched his lips asking for permission which he granted immediately. The kiss grew deeper as they got lost in each other.

That's when the host started to present McKinley High New Directions. It was their time, in Regionals.

Finn let go slowly and gave her a tiny peck on the lips before taking his former position. She stood there for a second, lightheaded, and then flashed him one of her perfect smiles and turned around.

The music started playing. It was their time to shine. Rachel replayed the lyrics in her head while Finn opened the door and started singing. A moment later she stepped into the crowded room and let the lyrics flow out of her lips. It was Journey's "Faithfully".

_Oh, boy, you stand by me_

_I'm forever yours_

_Faithfully_

It was all they needed. A moment, a perfect instant together and everything that had happened before was gone. Looking into his eyes all she could see was a promise, of love, of hope. There was a future written there:_ their_ future.

She climbed to the stage and met him in the middle, her eyes never leaving his. The curtains raised and the rest of the club started singing with them.

It didn't matter if they didn't win. This day, this moment was all she could ask for. She was no longer Rachel berry the high school freak that nobody knew; she was Rachel Berry, the show choir leader singer, and the owner of Finn Hudson's heart. That was enough… for now.


	2. Wishing and Hoping

**Disclaimer:** i don't own Glee or its characters. This is just for fun till we get to watch the second season :)

**A/N:** Thanks so much for the ones that left reviews! Means a lot :) It encourages me to keep on writing, so hope you like this one too. Said that, this is a longer chapter than the first one. Still, i feel it's like a transition chapter, and in just one or two more the story is going to be about things we didnt get to watch in "Journey". Btw, every ep is named after a song which kindda represents what it is about :)

Please Review!

xo

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**2. ****Wishing and Hoping**

The music sounded loud in the theatre. And suddenly it came to an end and all he could hear were cheers. He raised his head and looked round to the huge crowd that was on their feet giving them a standing ovation.

They've made it. From being only five talented but disoriented kids, to being a complete and amazing show choir group that got a standing ovation of hundreds, including Josh Groban and Olivia Newton-John, in Regionals. His cheeks were hurting of happiness as he took in what was happening. Looking around he met Rachel's eyes and her smiling face.

She approached him and took his hand on hers. Giving him one '_we made it'_ smile, she led him to the center of the stage to make a bow.

After enjoying some more minutes of the successful performance they had just made, the group was escorted backstage, where everyone were jumping of joy and excitement. Optimism was back, and the idea of New Directions being winner in regionals was far from sounding insane. They had rocked that stage and had let everyone wanting more. Vocal Adrenaline or not, they were awesome.

Everyone was ecstatic, including Mr. Shue, who took Tina in his arms and spooned her around before placing her back on the floor and continuing to congratulate the other members.

Rachel was euphoric, jumping and running around the tiny room in which they were supposed to be, and hugging Mercedes of them all! After praising the others she realized Finn was nowhere to be found. So she stepped out into the corridor, and passing Quinn and her mother, saw him. He was standing at a side of the stage, taking in the crowd.

They had done it. As Mr. Shue had said, that had been the best moment of his life. The one he would remember when the word _high school_ would reach his mind. The moment in which he had believed on himself and showed everyone what he could and liked to do. But best of all, the moment in which he had chosen Rachel over everything.

They had gone through a lot, and it had taken him this much to realize she was the one he wanted to be with. Her smile, the way she blushed when he complimented on her amazing singing skills, her silky olive skin, her deep chocolate eyes, and her strange but so Rachel-like plaid skirts. He loved it all, and he had been able to say it. Well… kind of.

He felt a hand curl his own and by looking at who it belonged to his heart started beating harder and faster. He turned around and gave her a loving hug. Taking her face in his hands, he rubbed her reddish cheeks with his thumbs and leaned down to kiss her one more time. He felt as her lips curled up into a smile against his own and pressed her harder to his body.

It was a perfect moment… too perfect to be true.

Whistles starting ringing in their ears and as they turned round they saw the whole glee club behind them staring at their public displace of affection. Rachel blushed even harder but then burst into laughter when the others started mimicking them. Everyone joined her until they saw _him_.

She froze in her spot, and suddenly Finn's arm, which was still holding her by the waist, weighted tons. Jesse was leaning against the wall, staring deeply into her eyes. If only looks could kill, Finn would be buried six feet under.

He tightened the grip around her and held her as close to his body as he could. Jesse took a step forward and without leaving Finn's eyes stretched one hand and caressed Rachel's face lightly as he talked to him.

_Take good care of my girl, would you?_

That was it. He was crossing the line. Finn lost it and pushed him to the ground. He jumped on top of him and punched his face till his nose was bleeding. Will and Puck were trying to get him of off Jessie, but nothing worked. Rage went trough his body and all he could think of was Rachel covered in eggs and crying cause of this guy. The guy that had taken her virginity. The one that had embarrassed her and made her feel like crap. His vision was blurry with anger and there was no plead or scream that could make him calm down.

Until Quinn's voice reached his ear.

She wasn't yelling at him to stop. She was screaming at her baby not to be born today: now.

He stopped abruptly and turned around. Everyone was gathering around Quinn and her mum, and the floor that was beneath them was wet. _Beth was coming!_ He loosened the grip he had on Jesse's shirt and ran towards Quinn. His fists were bloody and bruised, and guilt started rushing though his body. As he turned around to check on Jesse, he was gone.

* * *

Two hours had passed and there was no news. Either Beth was a hell of a stubborn child like her mum, or they wanted to have their alone time with her. Finn ran his hands through his hair and sighed. Tired, he let himself fall into a chair near the other glee kids and put his head on his lap.

It could have been him. No Puck and Quinn, but _He_ and _Quinn_.

Since they had left regionals and entered the hospital, he had been sweating and walking around like crazy. Sure Beth would be better off without them, with a grown-up family that was ready for a child. But the "_What if's?" _kept popping up in his head and he couldn't turn them down. If only Rachel were there! Surely she would have some smart comment to say that would put him at ease; or just would have held his hand and assured him everything was better this way. But she wasn't.

* * *

Vocal Adrenaline was amazing. Their choreography, singing and even outfits were outstanding, mind-blowing even. Jesse seemed flawless and the bump in his head was barely noticeable. Thoughts were rushing through Rachel's mind as she stood in the back watching them perform. _Marvelous_. There was no other way to describe he. Even if he was a hideous person, the boy could sing, and dance, and by what she had learnt, act. In just two months he had stolen her heart, tearing down the wall surrounding it, and then breaking it in thousand pieces, just in front of her eyes.

She had been so foolish for even thinking that what she felt for him was love. She felt admiration, care maybe, but not love. Not the way she felt about Finn. Luckily, everything was over, and Jesse was back where he belonged and she was where she had always wanted to be: in Finn's arms.

Yet, he wasn't here. Quinn's baby had a perfect timing! As soon as she started having contractions, Puck called an ambulance and they all rushed to the hospital with her. Everyone unless Rachel and Will.

She was afraid of hospitals. No, fear wasn't even near to describe it: _phobia_ fit best. She wasn't ready to see Quinn give up on Beth as Shelley had done with her. Although she denied it, Shelley wasn't out of her mind, and the thought of her giving up on her as a baby, rejecting being her mum, twice, was more than she could stand for. But the show had to go on, so she always put a smiley face and played the part of the cheerful leader that the group needed. She couldn't look at that tiny baby, hold her small hands and then wave goodbye. But worst of all, she couldn't watch Beth's beautiful face and think of how her life would be like without her mum.

Hence she stayed at the show, to watch the others perform. Before VA act had begun, she found a seat at the very back, so as Jesse couldn't see her, and tried to put rage and humiliation aside to be able to do a clear and objective judgment of their performance.

Sadly for her, they were incredible, and as their show ended, the whole mass cheered for them. Tears started forming in her eyes and she couldn't suppress them any longer. Goodbye optimistic and fair Rachel, hello weak and sobbing one.

One by one the members of Vocal Adrenaline reached the center of the stage and thanked the crowd for their gratitude. The last one was Jesse, who received the loudest cheers and shouts. He was grinning like never before, overjoyed.

Then tears started rolling freely down her cheeks and fury consumed her. If only Finn were there with her! He would lift her and let her crawl in his lap, caressing her hair and whispering softly in her ear that everything would be ok.

If only…

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Hope you liked it!

**A/N:** Next chapter comes with Jesse surprises and more Finchel scenes :)

xoxo


	3. Bring The Pain

**Disclaimer:** i don't own Glee or its characters. This is just for fun till we get to watch the second season :)

**A/N:** Thanks so much for the ones that left reviews! Means a lot :) It encourages me to keep on writing, so hope you like this one too. If u have any ideas or suggestions, dont hesitate on tellung me ;) Said that, this is a longer chapter than the first one. Still, i feel it's like a transition chapter, and in just one or two more the story is going to be about things we didnt get to watch in "Journey". Btw, every ep is named after a song which kindda represents what it is about :)

Please Review!

xo

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**3. Bring the Pain**

After the judges had made up their minds about the winners, the host was about to call the contestants up the stage to hear the results. Will had been told they had to get ready to do so, and started looking for Rachel to announce she would be the one to get up there and be given the trophy. He thought she would be ecstatic to have the spotlight all for herself. But searching through the halls of the stadium he realized she was nowhere to be found. So he checked the bathrooms and then the room assigned to New Directions. There she was, cuddling in a corner, hiding her head between her legs and sobbing softly.

He rushed to her side and gently caressed her shoulder to calm her down. Shocked, she raised her head and met his eyes. She was a mess. Her eyes were swollen and reddish as tears kept falling down her face. Her lips were curled down in a sad pout. He had never seen Rachel like this: unrestrained, vulnerable, and so lost. His father instinct shot up and he took her in his arms and cradled her softly. She grabbed a tight hold of his shirt and pressed her face to it.

He let her cry for some minutes, her soft tears wetting the collar of his shirt. Then raising her head to meet her eyes, he flashed a sad but encouraging smile, rubbed her cheeks and placed a light kiss in her forehead. She smiled and straightened up.

Standing on her feet again she walked to the mirrors, re-touched her make-up and fixed her hair. She was Rachel freaking Berry, and nothing and no one could bring her down. So she nodded to her reflection and headed to the door. Pausing at the doorframe, she turned round to face Will, and smiling at him kindly mouthed a _Thank You_. He nodded in response and saw her leaving the room, to the stage. In just a few minutes Glee club's destiny was gonna be determined.

She couldn't breathe. Her heart was beating harder by the minute, and she hadn't even got to the stage yet. She was standing at the bottom of the stairs, trying to find the strength to go out there and face the results. She could handle loosing Regionals. They could have another try next year... hopefully. But she couldn't handle facing Jesse, having him close, staring at her and rejoicing of beating them.

She had never felt as lonely as she did now. Thinking of Finn and trying to imagine his hand was holding hers, she gathered courage and started climbing the steps, one by one, and entered the stage. Her eyes were glued to the floor since she didn't dare to search Jesse's with fear of what she would see in them. Sighing she raised her head and stared at the audience, trying in vain to find a familiar face in it. Everyone was gone and Mr. Shue surely was backstage waiting for her.

She had been waiting for this moment her whole life. Most of her dreams were about winning an Oscar in a new remake of Cabaret or being the most successful actress in Broadway shows, but ever since Glee club started and Finn appeared in her life, Glee club winning nationals was her only wish. Well, that and Finn holding her forever and telling her how in love with her he is. But now that that part was done, nationals was her main goal. Unfortunately, that was impossible is they didn't win regionals… against Vocal Adrenaline, against Jesse, and Shelby.

It was time. The host was given an envelope and as he started tearing it up, she closed her eyes tightly and tried to breathe evenly. This was the moment in which the dream either had a happy ending or became a nightmare.

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Finn was running through the hospital halls, looking for the exit. Mr. Shue had just called him and with a desperate voice had told him to drive back to regionals. Finn had started arguing, knowing that he and driving couldn't make sense in a sentence unless the word _suck_ was between them; but as soon as three little words left Will's lips, he hanged up and started anxiously seeking for the exit: _Rachel needs you_.

When the ambulance had arrived to Regionals to take Quinn to hospital, Puck had driven them all there in Mr. Shue's tiny car. But now, Puck had Beth, and everyone else had someone to take care for. And Finn had Rachel. Unluckily for him, she was miles away and the only way to get there was driving, alone.

Since the whole mailman accident he hadn't been allowed to do so, but desperate times entails desperate actions. Crossing the hospital doors, a gust of wind hit his face, as advising him to go back in. But he fought against it and reached the car. He searched for the keys in his pockets and tried to open the car with them, but his hands were shaking fearfully. Finally in the car he turned the ignition on and as the car roared he jumped on his seat. "_I'm not ready_" he kept repeating in his head. But setting Rachel's face in front of his lids he stepped hardly on the pedal and drove off, to Regionals, to Rachel.

* * *

By the time Finn reached Regionals entrance the parking lot was silent. Still full but silent. That had to mean that the show wasn't over and he had gotten there in time. Yet he kept replaying the trip in his head trying to find mistakes and moments in which he could have speeded up. Luckily he hadn't run over anyone or anything. Well, just one security cone at the highway but considering how his past driving experiences had gone, this one had been pretty incredible.

He got out of the car and reached the front door and after passing security, headed backstage to find Rachel.

Cheers and lost voices were heard nearby, and he didn't know if those were good or bad signs. He headed towards New Direction's room, and soon he found himself running towards it. If they had won she would probably jump into his arms and scream of joy in his ear. He would spin her round and kiss her with all the strength he could find. Passion flooding through them, making that moment the best of their lives, the one they had been waiting for so long… or at least he had.

But what if they had lost? Ignoring the fact they were freaking awesome, Vocal Adrenaline has acted after them and he hadn't gotten the chance to watch them. Though, he had a pretty good idea their act had been as or more incredible than theirs. _No_. He tried to talk himself into the idea they were better, because VA didn't have soul, passion, friendship and love. They were simply made of talent, dedication and ambition. And even if that combination could be successful in economy, it wasn't enough on singing. That involved excitement and devotion to the song and the ones you were performing with too. And he was sure as hell that Jesse didn't have even a bit of love in his body. Not if he had done what he did to Rachel.

Rachel, the only thing that had to be in his mind right now. Not Jesse St Jackass or any other asshole that had done her wrong, just _her_. Having climbed the stairs that led to the room, he smiled in anticipation knowing than he was already reaching her, and even if they had lost, he would still get to hold her.

However, faith had other plans for him. Well, faith or Jesse St James did.

Right there at the begging of the contestant's hall, his archenemy stood. He still had his black and fuchsia suit on, but now a devilish smirk was across his face and an enormously tall trophy in his hands.

-_We, who are gonna win, salute you._

While saying this, a haughtily grin appeared in his face and he gestured the prize towards Finn. He knew the word _win_ didn't refer to the show choir competition, since he had already won, but to Rachel. His vision started clouding again and pure rage ran through his veins. That guy could put his back up with just one stare, because everything he did or said was related to Rachel and made him feel inferior, less worthy or part of her life, as he had never shared with her as much as he had … never got quite as intimate with her as he had the chance to. This together with the fact he had hated this seamy cocky-as-hell annoying rat since the moment he saw his arm snaked around Rach's waist, made it impossible for him to be around Jesse without wanting to launch on him and smacking the hell out of him.

* * *

Rachel kept pacing nervously round the room.

After the results had been announced her face had felt and she couldn't even force a fake polite smile and pretend to be happy VA had won. That Jesse and her I-don't-want-you-anymore birth mum. It just hurt way too much and was more than she could handle. As soon as she got the chance she flew out of the stage and climbed down the stairs to head to their dressing room. She needed to be alone so she could cry her pain away. But as her eyes were fixed on the stairs and not on her way she bumped into Mr Shue. He held her and raised her head to stare at her.

-_Oh, Rachel! You ok?_ – He just said

She just nodded, without thinking it. The only thing she wanted right now was to get the hell out of everyone's view. Sadly for her he didn't believe that crap and opened his mouth to comfort her. But she stopped him on his track before he got to say a word.

-_Later_- She said. He frowned at her and she went on- _I'm not gonna fell apart, not gonna become all dark and twisty, at least not permanently. Just need some time_.-

He nodded and said –_Have you seen Finn?_-

Confused, Rach, asked what he meant, and he added –He was on his way here but didn't see him backstage, though he could be on the audience to encourage you.-

With that her face lit up a little bit. Finn was here… or at least he was supposed to. She thanked Will and reached the hall, and hesitating where to go find him, decided on waiting in the dressing room. If he was looking for her that would be the first place he would go to.

And there she had been till now. But as minutes passed and there was no sign of Finn she started to get worried. Maybe he hadn't shown up, or Mr Shue had been lying just to make her feel better. As more theories started forming in her mind, she heard a thud outside her room door followed by a flood of curses. She feared to go out, afraid of what would be happening but as he recognised one of the voices she rushed to the door and opened it wide.

-_**Oh My God!**_


	4. Speechless

**Disclaimer:** i don't own Glee or its characters. This is just for fun till we get to watch the second season :)

**A/N:** Thanks so much for the ones that left reviews! Means a lot :) It encourages me to keep on writing, so hope you like this one too. If u have any ideas or suggestions, dont hesitate on telling me ;) Btw, every ep is named after a song which kindda represents what it is about. Like this one is from The Veronicas :)

Ok, so in this chapter we are moving foward in Finchel relationship! From now on the chapters are going to have more dialogue and will be more Finchel centered, not so much on their triangle with Jesse... or at least for now. I tried to make a closure to that triangle and give Jesse a rather good ending, cuz despite how much i disliked him in the last glee eps, he was good to Rach in others and thought it would be good to see his good side too. Hope u like it!

Please Review!

xo

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**4****.** **Speechless**

_It's like I've spent forever searching__  
__Now I know that it was worth it  
With you it feels like I am finally home_

_Falling head over heels  
Thought I knew how it feels  
But with you it's like the first day of my life_

She was speechless. Just outside the room, Finn and Jesse were wrestling, throwing punches, kicking and cursing each other. She was standing on the doorframe, her hand covering her wide-open mouth, as her breathing got caught on her throat. Finn's fist collided with Jesse's eye and he fell to the floor. Taking advantage of his new position, Jesse kicked Finn's ankle and he fall flat on his back. That's when she screamed,

-_OMG!_-

Finn, her Finn laid on the floor, his fists swollen and bloody, either from his knuckle's cuts or Jesse's nose, his lip slashed and a hole on his shirt. His face contorted in pain from the fall, as his head had bounced hardly with the floor. Rachel rushed to his side and took his head on her hands. Her chocolate eyes darkened by seeing him barely conscious and blood covering his face. _Oh God! What had just happened? _

Seeing the fight was over, Jesse stood up slowly, holding onto a shelf to push him straight with one hand and holding his abs with the other. His face was covered in cuts, and his nose was bleeding intensely. But his body was way worse. As he reached the other side of the room and leaned against the wall, without taking his eyes off Rachel, now kneeled down next to Finn, a devilish grin spread through his face.

Rachel turned around and found his eyes. As his were gloating, blazing of glory, hers were cutting right through him, attempting to kill him with just one stare. Pure rage was boiling in her blood as she stood up slowly, regaining composure. Her face turned calm as she tried to breathe in deeply to avoid jumping on top of him and ripping his head of. Tearing up her heart and humiliating her was one thing, but beating Finn up was a new low. He was the one that pulled her together, that believed in her and looked up to everything she did.

Holding his gaze, she made her way to the forgotten trophy at the corner, grabbed it and closed the distance between her and her old love. Standing inches apart she held the award to him, and as he was reaching out to take it, her hands loosened, letting its full weight fall on his feet. His smirk turned into a grimace as her serene features blazed with anger. In a fast motion her hand crashed with his cheek.

* * *

Breathing heavily, Jesse reminded himself this was a girl, and no other than Rachel. Innocent, perky, loving Rachel. Gazing back into her eyes all he could see was resentment and pure hate. She _hated _him. As odd it seemed, all he wanted was the opposite. But how could he love her? How could he be with her when she was so blindly in love with this guy? This guy that had nothing on her. Not talent or charm. Not even determination. He was just another lost high-scholar with no goals at all. She needed more, much more. She needed _him_. But if only she would have realized that and let him in all the way. If only she had left that retarded glee club and joined his own, his team wouldn't have ordered him to stop dating her, wouldn't have set their goal in destroying her in order to devastate "New Directions". If only… she wouldn't be here slapping him on the face and hating everything he had been for her.

_We're done, Jesse…I__'m done_

Those words were like blades that cut him off, ripped his heart out. His heart? He wasn't in love with her, or was he? Anyways, it didn't matter anymore, cause him and Rachel wasn't gonna happen, ever. Or only for now?

Breaking eye contact for the first time, he turned around and walked away. Away from Rachel, and away from high school. He was done. Done with VA and all the crap he had to put up with to be with them. Winning awards and having standing ovations given to him was great, but not worth it. He would try Broadway, college maybe. Something he was sure of, Jesse St James was meant for big things. Bigger than some stupid show choir competition, even bigger than Rachel Berry. Or at least he hoped…

* * *

It was done, finally. She could just forget all that had happened with Jesse and focus on her future. On hers and Finn's future, together. As she watched the limping form of Jesse walk away, she remembered Finn's wounded body, still laying on the ground. Turning around she met his dark eyes. He was still on the floor, his body twisted in pain and the same feeling reflected on his face, but there was something new. His eyes showed surprise, worry. She smiled assuring him she was alright and walked to his side. Offering a hand, she helped him stand up and circled his waist, giving him support. Being him 6 foot tall that didn't work exactly right, but he just didn't care. All that did was the intention, the gesture of _I'm here for you._ Her reassuring smile and tight hold on his side were signs of trust, of her finally opening up to him. So he grinned widely and grabbed a hold of her shoulder, walking as straight as he could to New Directions room.

* * *

The waiting room was quieter, warmer, and as Finn let himself down on the chair near the mirror his whole body relaxed. Leaning his head backwards he closed his eyes and tried to make the pain go away. His hands didn't hurt that bad, but the neck was killing him. Half of him was proud he had finally beaten the crap out of Jesse, without interruptions or babies coming. But the other half kept screaming "_What will mum say?"_ She had always been the non-violence kindda person, ever since the mailman accident especially. How could he go home all beaten up and with the broken suit? Man, sometimes thinking before acting was a damn good idea!

His body stiffened as a cold wet rock covered his forehead. His eyes flew open and came up with Rachel irises. The corners of her mouth were up forming a weak smile, but he could see through her eyes that it was all a charade. She was scared, terrified, guilty even? God, she was worried about him! He took her wrist and pulled her hand off his temple. Putting the ice patch down on the mirror table he traveled his way back to her hand and took it in his. Her eyes warmed up at the second the contact was made and leaving his for the first time gazed at his swollen fist. She loosened her thumb of the hold of his hand and made little circles trying to sooth his pain. Worry clouded her features again. God, he wanted to cradle her! Just in one swift motion he could have her in his arms, pressing her towards his chest. Instead he tugged her hand to him and placed her in his lap.

Their eyes met one more time and now it was his time to sooth her. His free hand rested on her waist and slowly made his way up to her cheeks, never breaking eye contact. Yet he could see as a faint blush crept over her cheeks. She was adorable, like a Valentine's Day teddy bear that sang like Barbara Streisand.

-_I'm sorry- _he breathed

She just nodded and smiled again. Silence overcame them as their eyes did the talking. Her free hand traveled behind her body and grabbed the ice patch again and put it over their interlaced hands. He flinched closing his eyes, and as the temperature reached his own, he re opened them to see as she had looked away. Her eyes flickered to the nearby table, where a whole set of wet towels was laid: so typical of Rachel. Letting go of his hands she got to work on his face to clean the blood away. Her hands lingered near his face but never touched it directly, as her eyes hovered over his wounds but avoided meeting his again. He fighted a little laugh and instead just grinned. It felt good, being taken care of, being alone, silent.

His body loosened up and he closed his eyes again. The only though of his mind was her hands on him. Her shaky hands on him. He knitted his eyebrows at her. She was scared, but he was gonna be ok… so what was she scared of? Leaving the patch on the table he clutched her sides and made her meet his gaze. When she did, he read uncertainty all over them. She was afraid of losing him. God, she didn't believe he loved her!

-_You know for being an up front person you're not being very talkative right now_- He said with a chuckle. She rolled her eyes at his comment and kept on working. But he had other plans for her…

-_I love you._

With just those three words she freezed. Their touch felt like burning fire but he never loosened his hold of her hips, and suddenly all he had kept inside him this time leaves his lips in a blur.

-_I do. I know you've heard it before… from him. But that's how I feel, im sure now. It's not kindergarten like when love just means holding hands and kissing on the cheek or the junior high love where it's just the way to say I care about you. Its __love-love__. The kindda one that it's written in those boring books we gotta read for English class that go on and on about butterflies fluttering in your belly and never wanting to let go of each other. Love as in I would punch every asshole that hurt you, put you together when you're alone and scared, or just hold you in high school. I don't mind being a glee club loser and getting daily slushies if that means I get to be with you at all times. If that's the prize to pay to hold your hand, and be able to say I love you everyday without you freaking out, then I'll take it. Cuz no matter what you think, or he made you think, you're worth it, Rach. And im sorry it took me this much to realize it._ _And I don't mind if you're afraid you can't say it back because I know I've hurt you. But if you let me back in, you may feel it for me one day too. _

Wow. That was the longest speech he had ever given. And it had been about love, for Christ sake! He couldn't believe he had just done that, as when he had said he loved her. Fearful of her reaction, he had stopped staring at her since he started speaking. But now, gathering courage he met her powerful gaze and what he saw made his breath hitch in his throat.

Her eyes were glistening as tears were fighting to be set free.

-_Oh god, Rach?_

Ready to apologize he released his tight hold on her sides, getting ready for her to run away from him, or maybe she would laugh, or slap him on the face as she had done with Jesse. Still, her hand didn't collide with him but her lips did as she placed a hard kiss on his. Her hands grabbed his neck and pulled him closer, bringing him back, making him reciprocate the kiss. His hands found their way back to circle her waist and press her chest to him. Her lips moved hungrily against his, craving for more contact. He felt as her tears were now riding freely down her face and wetting his, but he didn't care, those were tears of joy. Her tongue licked his lips demanding entrance which he granted gladly. Their tongues started a fiery fight, covering every corner of their mouths. A shiver raced down his spine and he had to remember breathing… and the mailman.

It wasn't as if they were in celibacy club and the woman on his arms was angelic Quinn Fabray, but still he didn't want to let Rachel see how much of an effect her body had on him. Not only her body but also her lips and the way she pulled at his hair to make him get closer.

_Mailman, Finn. Remember the mailman! _

This time not even the irrebatible Hudson method was working, and as he felt Rachel smile against his lips he realized he was busted. She chuckled lightly and broke their kiss, leaning back against the mirror table. She licked her lips and then brushed his with her thumb, a coy smile playing to form on her lips. As their eyes met for the hundredth time that day he smiled at her and she smirked back. Finally, they were though the back and forth and ready to jump into a relationship. Needless to speak further she brushed her lips lightly over his again and kept on with their secret love dance.

This time they were going to make it work. This time, he was ready.

_Cuz you leave me speechless_

_When you talk to me_

_You leave me breathless_

_The way you look at me_

_You manage to disarm me_

_My soul is shining through_

_Can't help but surrender_

_My everything to you_


End file.
